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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29049858">overwhelmed</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/interstellarbeams/pseuds/interstellarbeams'>interstellarbeams</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Prodigal Son (TV 2019)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bad Weather, Board Games, Breakfast, Competitiveness, F/M, First Kiss, Forced Cohabitation, Friends to Lovers, Mentions of PTSD, Protectiveness, Sharing a Meal</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 06:41:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,959</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29049858</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/interstellarbeams/pseuds/interstellarbeams</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Dani knows that Malcolm isn’t concerned enough for his own welfare so she decides to take matters into her own hands.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Malcolm Bright &amp; Dani Powell, Malcolm Bright/Dani Powell</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>107</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>overwhelmed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Thanks to Sara for being my beta, K for encouraging me to get into Prodigal Son and in the process, Brightwell, Siobhán for looking this over and Tiffy for listening every time I ramble. </p><p>My first full foray into these two, I hope it’s realistic and in character. </p><p>Kudos and comments are appreciated! 💕</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>From the moment Dani Powell first comforted Malcolm Bright through a night terror, she felt protective of him. His wide blue eyes held no innocence, he had experienced too much trauma for that, but she felt that he didn’t care enough about his own well being as most people were prepared to. So, it was left up to her.</p><p>Of course, she knew that he had his mother and sister, and Gil as a protective and sometimes overindulgent father figure, but Dani only had her team – and now Malcolm was a part of that. She owed it to him, and really to her own sanity to make sure he was okay. Which, speaking of a man whose father was a serial killer, was not often. She had her work cut out for her. </p><p>At first it started off as simple favors, like bringing him coffee when he had a late night in the conference room pouring over case files, their victim’s billing statements and phone records. Or driving him home at the end of a long day then helping him reorganize his bookshelves by book cover color (random) according to the color wheel. Then she started dropping off bagels from his favorite shop on the corner of 8th and Lakeside, which led to him inviting her to share breakfast with him. </p><p>She was going to say <i>no</i>. Beg off and lie about how large of a breakfast she had already had that morning but Malcolm wasn’t fooled. He could tell when she was lying, plus, he had seen her firing up the microwave and popping in a frozen breakfast sandwich just the week before as she complained about the gas being disconnected from her stove. Her super still hasn’t fixed it. </p><p>“Thanks for inviting me.” She tucked her car keys into her jeans pocket and set the crinkled paper bag on the kitchen island. “I can’t remember the last time I had a good bagel.”</p><p>“You’re in for a real treat then.” Malcolm rubbed his palms together before he turned to a cabinet and pulled out two plates. They were white and glossy, their rims holding no chips like the set of mismatched Corelle plates that rested in Dani’s kitchen cabinet. </p><p>“Can I do anything to help?” she offered, though she knew that Malcolm was perfectly capable of toasting a pair of bagels in the toaster on the counter behind him.</p><p>Malcolm just pinned her with a look from his crystal blue eyes and Dani held in a sigh, though she was unable to control the roll of her eyes as she settled into one of the chairs that lined the island. </p><p>She glanced around, the sound of Malcolm opening and closing utensil drawers and then the fridge a background noise as she inspected his apartment. He had a very sparse, minimalistic style with little clutter and not even a pair of socks on the floor beside his bed. Dani’s bedroom, at any given moment, looked like a clothes tornado passed through, and her sink always had a mug or a spoon in the bottom of it no matter how many times she washed dishes. Malcolm’s kitchen was spotless and the crumpled paper bag that Dani had attempted to keep warm against her body — a fierce northeastern was headed their way — looked oddly out of place. </p><p>“Have you lived here long?” she asked, lacing her fingers together in front of her and watching the width of his gray shirt stretch across his shoulders as he pulled the bagels out of the toaster.</p><p>“Oh, uh… probably about 12 years.” He turned his head to glance at her over his shoulder, his hair slipping over his forehead and making Dani want to smooth it back. A weird feeling if she’d ever had one. </p><p>She pursed her lips, wondering if it had been such a good idea to stay for breakfast, then dropped her hands into her lap, smoothing her hands down the tops of her thighs. </p><p>“Really?” Dani cleared her throat. She had thought maybe the apartment was new and that was why the walls were so bare, but nope, her detective work had definitely failed her there. She certainly didn’t have the chops for discernment like Malcolm had, or maybe his presence made her flustered, clouding her mind and her judgement. She wasn’t sure which idea disturbed her more. </p><p>“It’s owned by my mother, actually.”</p><p>Dani didn’t really know how to respond to that so she kept her mouth shut, twisting the gold ring on her finger with single minded intent.</p><p>“Do you want something to drink?” Malcolm asked, and she turned her attention back to his face. “It’s so cold out, I was thinking about having coffee myself.”</p><p>“That’s fine. Actually, I wouldn’t mind making a pot while you finish those.” Dani hopped up, ready to get her hands on something. Sitting still and watching him work was giving her too much time to think and she needed to quiet these thoughts that were pestering her.</p><p>“Oh. Okay.” She felt Malcolm’s eyes on her but she grabbed the pot out of the coffee maker and moved to the sink without waiting for him to say so.</p><p>The rush of the water hitting the stainless steel sink filled the air and Dani tightened her grip on the handle as she stuck the carafe under the water's flow. </p><p>The silence in the apartment was eerie and Dani wondered if the world had stopped, somehow, but she shook her head. The Northeastern was on its way. That probably explained it, people were getting ready to hunker down in their homes and closing up shop. The only establishments that would stay open would be the police stations and the hospital – emergency plans were in place. She thought maybe she should be worried about it too, just like everyone else, but she ignored it to focus on her task. </p><p>Dani was used to making coffee. Everyone at the station basically subsisted on the stuff and she had made her fair share of pots in the break room while they worked late nights or early mornings. Despite the poor quality of the coffee that they were forced to imbibe, she thought she had the chore down pact. </p><p>“Um, where do you keep the coffee?” she asked, feeling a faint blush sting her cheeks when Malcolm offered her a knowing smile and reached around her to pull down a canister from the cabinet next to the coffee maker. </p><p>“Oh. Thanks.” She took the can from him, and their fingers brushed for the briefest second. She turned away. His gaze was too knowing and she wasn’t sure she was comfortable looking him in the eye when apparently her thoughts and feelings were on clear display to the NYPD’s best profiler. </p><p>She opened the canister and almost groaned when she caught sight of the coffee beans that were inside. Now she had to ask him for the grinder… She felt like she had started more trouble than this coffee was worth but she wouldn’t back down, though she felt like Malcolm should have warned her that his brand of coffee wasn’t pre-ground. </p><p>“Bright? Do you have a coffee grinder?” She leaned her hip against the counter, crossing one arm across her chest as she held the coffee can in her other hand. She hoped he could feel her glare and know just how annoyed she was with him now. </p><p>“Yeah.” He crossed the few steps to her and reached around her to grab a small black appliance. His cologne tickled at her nose and she shifted her eyes towards the side of his face, her gaze searching for any sign that he was pushing her buttons on purpose. “It’s right here.”</p><p>“Thanks.” She offered him a shrewd look and then turned her back on him to grind the coffee beans, the whirring of the tiny machine sharp against the scrape of a butter knife as Malcolm finished spreading cream cheese on the bagels.</p><p>Dani finally found the coffee filters after rummaging in the back of his cabinet. She refused to ask him for help again. He was enjoying her discomfort entirely too much and she wasn’t going to encourage him anymore. </p><p>“Bagels are done,” he announced as she let down the lid on the coffee maker and turned to face him.</p><p>Dani nodded, and stepped around the island to sit back down. </p><p>“Thanks.” She smiled at him briefly as he handed her a plate with an asiago bagel and veggie cream cheese spread. She almost started in surprise. <i>He had remembered.</i></p><p>“You’re welcome.” He ducked his head as the smell of the percolating coffee surrounded them and she caught a glimpse of an answering smile. </p><p>They were quiet as they ate. Dani couldn’t help wondering if <i>she</i> was making too much noise while she ate. It sounded loud in her ears, but maybe the quiet of the apartment around them simply made it sound that noisy. </p><p>Her second to last bite left too much creamy cheese at the corner of her mouth and despite the fancy plates, she didn’t see any napkins so she scooped it up with one finger and popped it into her mouth.</p><p>She glanced up after her last bite to find Malcolm’s gaze on her. His bagel sat in front of him, untouched, and she had to wonder if he’d been watching her the whole time. It didn’t exactly make her uncomfortable, but she wondered what had caught his interest and why she hadn’t felt the touch of his piercing eyes. </p><p>“You’re not eating.”</p><p>“Yes. I mean, I was going to.” He picked up his bagel with the white cream cheese, lox topping and chives. He lifted it to eye level, but he didn’t take a bite before he set it back down. “But I don’t know if I can.”</p><p>Malcolm’s hands rested on either side of his plate but Dani could see that his right hand was shaking. He must have seen her look because he tucked his hand back into his lap.</p><p>Dani sighed as she leaned back. She didn’t want to pry. She knew that he had troubling dreams — night terrors so bad that he had to <i>chain</i> himself to his bed, but she didn’t know just how many parts of his past affected him and figured he wouldn’t want her to go picking through his life. She could understand that. She usually only offered up information of her own when she was ready. She would wait him out, as long as it took.</p><p>“How about coffee? Do you think you can drink that?” She set her plate away from her and brushed the crumbs from her fingers. </p><p>“Uh, yeah. I think I can handle that.” </p><p>Dani didn’t ask how he took it, just went for the fridge to pull out the milk, then picked up a mug (plain gray, go figure) and poured him a cup. After adding a splash of milk, she brought it over to him and went back for her own cup. </p><p>The sudden blaring of her phone interrupted the silence and she swore as she reached for it. There wasn’t a call from the department though. No murder, just a weather alert. </p><p>“Did you…?” Dani turned to see Malcolm holding his own phone.</p><p>“Shelter in place,” Malcolm said in lieu of an answer. </p><p>“Yeah.” </p><p><i>Just my luck</i>, Dani thought.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>————</p>
</div><p>“Uh, I’m sorry I don’t usually spend much time relaxing. The only pillows I have are the ones on my bed and I guess the only candles I have are leftover from that one candle lit dinner I had with Eve.” </p><p>Dani smiled, tucking her legs underneath her and wrapping her arms around herself. It wasn’t exactly cold <i>yet</i> but she didn’t want to move from the leather couch once she warmed the spot. “It’s okay. And I’m sure if the lights go out then we can use our phones as flashlights.” </p><p>“Yeah, at least until the batteries run out.” Malcolm offered an awkward smile before sitting down in the other corner of the couch. </p><p>Sunshine chirped, the fluttering of her wings drawing Dani’s attention to her small cage behind them. </p><p>“Do you have enough birdseed for Sunshine? In case we're stuck here.” </p><p>“Yeah. I have plenty. She doesn’t eat much.”</p><p>Dani wondered if he had much food on hand. It would probably be a good idea to check but she was getting sleepy.</p><p>The crackling of the flames in the fireplace lent a homey aspect to the bachelor’s pad feel of Malcolm’s place and Dani took another sip of her still warm coffee. She sighed in pleasure without even realizing it. The warmth felt good and Malcolm definitely knew how to buy amazing coffee. </p><p>“Enjoying yourself, Detective Powell?” Malcolm glanced over at her, his head leaned against the back of the sofa. Dani couldn’t remember the last time she had seen him so relaxed. </p><p>“As a matter of fact. Your place isn’t quite so bad. I’m just praying you have food. I know you gotta eat sometime.”</p><p>“I do <i>eat</i>. It’s just usually later in the day when the side effects of my medicines have worn off.” </p><p>“Oh.” Dani popped her lips, fingers tightening on her mug.</p><p>“I make a mean risotto. All I need is some mushrooms, a superb white wine and an excellent parmesan cheese. Thankfully, my mother pays for a five-star delivery service and I just got a box two days ago.”</p><p>“Sounds expensive. I usually cook Rice-a-Roni.”</p><p>Malcolm cocked his head, a perturbed look on his face and she decided she wouldn’t mention the many nights, after a long days work, that she enjoyed a glass of screw top wine with a bowl of Easy Mac. </p><p>“For dinner I usually have a bowl of cereal.”</p><p>“Oh yeah? What kind?” Malcolm turned in his seat, tucking one leg under him as he faced her. </p><p>“I don’t know. Whatever strikes my fancy on the cereal aisle at the corner store. That or I buy it ‘cause it’s on sale.” Dani shrugged one shoulder, then placed her mug back on the coffee table. “What about you? Do you have a favorite cereal?”</p><p>“Frosted Flakes were my favorite growing up.” Malcolm paused for a minute, but then started up again. “Did you know that cereal was first created in 1863 by a religious conservative named James Caleb Jackson?” </p><p>Dani cocked her head, leaning her cheek against her fist. Malcolm was known to go on rants about various things that he knew random facts about, or starting up a conversation out of nowhere involving a subject he had read up on recently. Dani had learned to let him get it all out, or she was bound to hear it later when she was trying to go to sleep. </p><p>His train of thought didn’t take him where she thought he was going to go, though.</p><p>“My dad, being a surgeon, thought it was a bad idea for us kids to have sugary cereal and my mother was always on some new health kick or diet that she had heard about from her personal trainer. But Linette, our housekeeper, would let us have them on mornings when my dad was still asleep after a late night surgery and mother was on a special spa weekend with friends.”</p><p>Dani was surprised he had opened up to her about some of his past with his parents. She had already learned that was a sore subject, though she had met his mother who was a perfectly nice woman if not a little nosy about her grown son’s life. His dad had also been perfectly polite, but she had seen the gears whirling in his head as he considered her from head to toe and she had felt like a steak on a plate in front of a hungry carnivore.</p><p>She hoped he would say more to reveal his inner self or more of his past, because she suddenly realized she longed to know more about this man that she called a friend. But then, the power went out with a low hum as the heater and the refrigerator shut off and the room grew dim. </p><p>“Guess we should have expected this,” Malcolm said as he stood up, fishing in his pocket for his phone. Dani reached for hers on the coffee table and picked it up, bringing up the flashlight feature so she could see. She wasn’t as familiar with Malcolm’s apartment as he was and didn’t want to trip over anything in the darkness. </p><p>“Yeah. I guess you have an unexpected guest now.” Dani dropped one hand and fisted it against her hip, shrugging in a slightly uncomfortable motion.</p><p>“Nonsense. I’m glad you’re here. Now I have someone to play board games with.”</p><p>“Board games?”</p><p>“Yeah. What else are we going to do without wifi?”</p><p>Dani figured he had a point and followed him as he made his way to a closet that she had never noticed before. </p><p>The closet was full of shelves: blankets were folded neatly on the middle shelves and the lower ones held what looked like towels all in shades of blue and gray. Malcolm’s flashlight beam raised higher and then she finally saw the boxes of board games at the top. It reminded her of the box of old games that had shown up at the rec center down the block from her childhood home. She and her friends had played many hours of checkers and Trouble while their parents chattered with each other in the driveways of the neighborhood.</p><p>She pushed the happy thought of her childhood away, and resolved to call her mom as soon as she had access to a phone charger, and held out her arms for the board games that Malcolm pulled down for them.</p><p>She didn’t miss the excitement in his eyes as she turned to walk back towards the living room and the warm fire that was already a welcome respite from the chill of the rest of the apartment. </p><p>“What do you want to start with?” Malcolm asked, sitting down crossed legged on one side of the coffee table while she chose the side closest to the couch so that she could prop her back against the cushiony side.</p><p>“Um...” Dani briefly considered the choices in front of her before pulling Sorry! towards her. </p><p>“Looks like somebody enjoys a challenge,” he commented as he uncovered the box and unfolded the board.</p><p>Dani rolled her eyes but didn’t respond to him as she picked out the green pieces because they were her favorite color and handed Malcolm the blue. She didn’t have the gumption to hand him the red, plus the blue reminded her of his eyes.</p><p>They each put their pieces in the middle of their home circles and Malcolm closed the box back before tossing it on the couch beside her. Dani narrowed her eyes at him but he simply shrugged and turned back to shuffling the cards.</p><p>“You remember how to play, right?” Dani asked, linking her fingers together as she watched him.</p><p>“What do you think, that I have a mental deficiency or something?” Malcolm shifted the flashlight so that it shone more clearly on their board game before he glanced up at her.</p><p>Normally, Dani would have been afraid that she had pushed him to remember just how broken he was, but his eyes weren’t shadowed like they usually grew when he experienced a flashback or a moment that aggravated his PTSD. His blue eyes were bright despite the dim light from the flames in the fireplace. </p><p>She pressed her lips together, not exactly ashamed to provoke him but uncomfortable at the thought that she may have made him upset.</p><p>“Ladies first,” he offered, and she pushed the feelings away to pick up a card. The rules of the game required you to pick up a 1 or a 2 to bring a game piece out into play so they traded turns back and forth before Malcolm picked up a one and moved one of his blue pieces out of home. </p><p>“Your turn.” Dani swore she saw a smirk play about his lips but it was possible that it was merely a play of shadows.</p><p>She finally picked the right card and managed to get two pieces on the margin squares that wound round the edges of the board. Then Malcolm picked a six and his piece landed on her spot, sending her home.</p><p>Dani made an unbecoming sound in the back of her throat, dropping her chin to the top of her fist. </p><p>“Did you just growl?” Malcolm pierced her with a gaze that she knew all too well from the many crime scenes they had visited together, elbows propped on the coffee table. </p><p>“No.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and tried to avoid blushing as he continued to observe her.</p><p>Dani sighed. “Can you just pick a card and stop trying to analyze me?”</p><p>“But analyzing <i>you</i> is so much fun.” </p><p>Malcolm continued with his turn but Dani couldn’t help thinking about how easily he saw into her. She found it uncanny that she didn’t find his frank perusal of her as uncomfortable as she thought it would be. She trusted him after all, despite the unpredictability of his actions during the most inopportune of times, he was a reliable friend. </p><p>The next time around, Dani picked an eleven putting her first piece in the safe zone and she barely could contain her grin of triumph. She tried to shield it from Malcolm by putting her hand over her mouth but he wasn’t fooled.</p><p>“Wow. Looks like you’re in the lead now.” </p><p>“Yep!” Dani popped the p, eagerly waiting for Malcolm’s turn so she could pick another card.</p><p>Dani groaned when he got another piece onto the board while she still had two game pieces in the home spot. </p><p>“I guess I should have figured you were competitive.”</p><p>“Why?” Dani was confused. </p><p>“You’re probably an only child. You had to work your ass off to get into the Academy. Am I right? And coming from the Bronx you had to prove yourself. Competitiveness comes naturally to you because you know how to work hard for everything you’ve gained and it comes through in your free time as well.”</p><p>“Bright?”</p><p>“What?” </p><p>“Stop.”</p><p>“Stop what?”</p><p>“You know.” Dani pinned him with a glare but he looked innocently back at her. </p><p>“Stop analyzing me. That’s— that's not why I’m here.”</p><p>“Sorry. I— I just can’t help it sometimes.”</p><p>“It’s okay. I’m just— aware that I’m competitive. I try to tone it down because I know it isn’t my best trait.”</p><p>“There’s nothing wrong with it. In fact, I find it sort of endearing. You get this cute little frown between your eyebrows and you screw up your mouth.” Malcolm ducked his head like he had something to be ashamed for and Dani looked away, heartbeat fluttering erratically.</p><p>A loud bang outside made Dani jump and her hand immediately sprung to her side where she typically kept her sidearm, but it wasn’t where she normally kept it. The clatter of the board pieces hitting the floor made her jerk her head back around to Malcolm who’s hand shook as he apologized profusely.</p><p>“Bright. It’s okay.” She crouched down next to him, reaching for the board game and straightening it on the table before she bent to pick up a green man at the exact same time as Malcolm did. </p><p>His hand shook and his icy fingers were frigid against hers. She squeezed his hand, ignoring the feel of his skin under her fingers and hoping the warmth of her hand would comfort him. </p><p>“Probably just a piece of siding that ripped off someone’s home, blowing around out there.”</p><p>“Yeah. Yeah.” Malcolm looked down to where she held onto his hand, his eyes slowly losing the deer in headlights look that the unexpected sound had caused. </p><p>She released his hand as they bent to continue picking up the mess that their paranoia had caused. </p><p>Suddenly, Dani was laughing under her breath. They were a cop and a criminal profiler, who had proven himself over and over again with unusual objects when there wasn’t a traditional weapon to be found, and they had a weapons arsenal practically at their fingertips. They shouldn’t have been scared of a little bang. Understandably, Malcolm was a little more skittish, but <i>still</i>. </p><p>“Are you laughing at me?” Malcolm leaned back against the edge of the coffee table and Dani would have winced at the thought of his back against such a hard piece of furniture if she could catch her breath, but she was still giggling. </p><p>“No… no.” She breathed out. “Nothing like that. It’s just, we’re cops and we jump at the smallest of sounds.”</p><p>“Nothing wrong with that. Everyone can become jumpy, even practiced criminals get nervous before they commit crimes. Unless they’re psychopaths who switch off their empathy like a light switch.” Malcolm’s lips lifted in a half smile and Dani couldn’t help but smile back as she settled down next to him. </p><p>“So much for our board game…” She sighed, allowing her arm to brush against his. When he didn’t flinch, she leaned against him, letting her head sink until it rested on his shoulder.</p><p>“Thanks for keeping me company… I know I probably would have gone stir crazy being stuck here all alone during this storm.”</p><p>Dani wanted to say ‘no problem, that’s what friends are for’ but she realized she didn’t want to just be his friend. She wanted to be more, but she wasn’t sure how to bring it up without her comment seemingly coming out of left field. </p><p>They watched the flames in the fireplace for a moment and Dani found her heart rate picking up speed when Malcolm’s hand grazed her knee. She swallowed hard, afraid that if she moved even an inch or breathed wrong that he would stop whatever he was doing and she really didn’t want him to stop. </p><p>She wasn’t sure when she had last been touched so familiarly. The last time had to have been with her last boyfriend and the kiss on the neck that had led to her smelling another woman’s perfume on his coat – their last touch leading to their last fight. But she didn’t want to think of that disappointing and heartbreaking moment, not now, not when Malcolm was right beside her and the potential of something new was trembling in between them. </p><p>His hand inched farther up her leg and Dani gasped.  </p><p>“Malcolm?” She breathed out a sigh, her gaze traveling from his eyes to his lips and back.</p><p>Her breath stuttered in her chest and she felt a flush rushing in her cheeks that had nothing to do with the flames that burned across the room in the fireplace. </p><p>“Dani.” His right hand lifted to her cheek and the firmness of his touch cemented the fact that they were doing the right thing. Not a tremble to be felt from him as he caressed her cheek and she was reassured, before she took the leap and leaned in until their lips met. </p><p>She had expected a kiss from Malcolm to be as chaotic as the thoughts that were constantly running through his head. His eyes were definitely a window to the soul, but the movements of his lips were as calm as a summer’s day. It was nice, but she still felt like a coal that had been left to cool, she needed the spark that she knew resided inside. She needed to be overwhelmed. </p><p>Before she could even think of what she was doing, she climbed into his lap. His breath seemed to pause, like he couldn’t believe what was happening — Dani could hardly believe it either but she didn’t want to think, only feel.</p><p>Her hands were on either side of his neck and she felt the pressure of his hands against her shoulder blades as he urged her closer. The flickering of the fire cast them in shadow and she couldn’t see his face. But she didn’t need to, ‘cause the press of his lips was like being guided home. </p><p>She lost herself in the taste of him and was suddenly glad that he hadn’t eaten that lox earlier. The thought brought her back to earth and she pulled away, breathing out a laugh against his lips.</p><p>“What’s the matter?” he asked, hands stroking down her back until the tips of his fingers met the top of her jeans, then she felt his fingertips dip into her pockets and she lost her train of thought for a moment.</p><p>“Nothing. I was just thinking how bagels brought us here.”</p><p>“Yeah.” Malcolm smiled, wrinkles appearing next to his eyes and she wanted to kiss each line that told of the scant happiness that he had experienced in his hellscape of a life. “I think it was more your overprotective need to take care of me.”</p><p>Dani rolled her eyes. Slumping over, she sat cross legged next to him but she let her leg linger against his and found his fingers in the dark, inserting her fingers between his like a locking mechanism that she didn’t want to find the key to. </p><p>“It’s a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it.”</p><p>“Haha.” Malcolm mimicked an amused laugh and she slugged him in the arm. </p><p>He groaned and rubbed at his arm and she warned him not to provoke her, which he replied to with another <i>real</i> laugh.</p><p>She may have soothed his injury later on, but in the dark there was no one else to know, except them.</p>
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